How to display student last name in inbox messages?

[nichole1]

I'm sure this is very simple, but I can't seem to figure out how to display student last names in my inbox.  It is difficult to determine which student is messaging me when I have multiple people with the same first name.  Does anyone know that setting for this?  Thanks!

[Bobby2 · Accepted solution]

Hi  @nichole1  Thank You for your question.

Perhaps this statement helps clarify for you:

To select a user from the course roster, click the Address Book icon next to the To field [1]. From the address book, locate the user's role [2] and then select the user's name [3]. Names are arranged by last name.

It comes from this guide https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-12721-4152719681 

Sing out if you need a hand. 

[Bobby2 · Accepted solution]

Hi  @nichole1  Thank You for your question.

Perhaps this statement helps clarify for you:

To select a user from the course roster, click the Address Book icon next to the To field [1]. From the address book, locate the user's role [2] and then select the user's name [3]. Names are arranged by last name.

It comes from this guide https://community.canvaslms.com/docs/DOC-12721-4152719681 

Sing out if you need a hand. 

[Christensen1]

This does not explain how to attach the last name to the student in the inbox message list.  The inbox list has only first names...which is not helpful with a name that is common.

Can you help with that?

thanks

[landerson9]

I have this same issue and the reply doesn't address the original concern. We are only seeing student first names. The sample shown has student full names. Is there a setting that allows to show full student name in the inbox? Why isn't this the default?

[Christensen1]

Please address this asap.

[JRPickering]

I have the same issue, and the proposed solution doesn't actually fix the issue raised in the original post. In my inbox and in emails I get forwarded from Canvas only the student's first name appears and there's no way of tracing the message back to a particular student in the 'People' list if there are multiple students with the same first name, which is common in large classes. Any advice would be appreciated.

[james_neill]

This is not a solution—it is a cumbersome workaround—and should not be marked as such.

Rather, it is poor UX that Canvas messages do not display the sender's last name.

[chriscas · Accepted solution]

Hi @james_neill,

Are you saying you only say a first name in the inbox area of Canvas, like the screenshot I'm pasting below?

As you can see in my screenshot, I have first and last names shown there (this is just a testing scenario, so no protected info in that screenshot).  If you're only seeing first names, it could be some kind of local setting or something your school/institution is doing different than we are.  Given that I can see both names, I feel like this is at least not a global issue with Canvas.

Look forward to your response!

-Chris

[james_neill]

Wow @chriscas , OK, this is GOOD news.

I am definitely only seeing first name, so have contacted local admins to request last names also be shown.

Thank-you very much.

PS I've marked your response as a solution and I think the response by @Bobby2 should be unmarked as a solution or updated.